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Food bank serves holiday cheer to families BY KIRK BOXLEITNER kboxleitner@marysvilleglobe.com
COMMUNITY: Rotary
donates to community organizations. Page 3
SPORTS: Arlington extends winning streak. Page 8
ARLINGTON — The Arlington Community Food Bank’s first Christmas basket distribution at its new location met expectations and exceeded last year’s demand, according to food bank volunteers who served an estimated 400 families or more on Thursday, Dec. 22. “That’s what we planned for and it looks like we’ll meet those plans,” said Barbara Wood, a data entry specialist and board member for the Arlington Community Food Bank. “We had an additional 100 family food boxes ‘adopted’ by a number of individuals and agencies, including
Rotary, which donates a lot to us each year.” The Angel of the Winds Casino followed its donation of turkeys to the food bank for Thanksgiving by dropping off 80 hams while food bank volunteers distributed Christmas baskets on the afternoon of Dec. 22. “They’re always so generous,” Wood said. “We’ve also got about 20 area churches that have donated stuffing mix, cornmeal mix, celery, carrots, apples and other fruits and vegetables.” For the rest of their supplies the Arlington Community Food Bank works with buying services used by other food banks,
that allow them to buy food and other supplies in bulk much cheaper than what regular customers would pay. “That’s why money is one of the best donations we can get,” Wood said. “We can get the basics without spending as much money as individuals would have to.” These finances and supplies are much needed since the Arlington Community Food Bank is serving more clients all the time. Last year’s holiday food basket distributions served only 325-350 families each, whereas this year, even nonholiday distribution days SEE HOLIDAY, PAGE 2
Post students collect for food bank
INDEX CLASSIFIED ADS 12-14 LEGAL NOTICES OBITUARIES
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Kirk Boxleitner/Staff Photo
Marlene Routt, left, and Sue Keezer place the final items in a Christmas basket on Dec. 22 at the Arlington Community Food Bank.
Vol. 123, No. 24 Photo courtesy of the Arlington School District
From left, Post Middle School Leadership students Kevyn Burke, Sarah Moe, Danielle Anglin, Jacob Olson and David Lawrence prepare to sort food for the Arlington Community Food Bank.
ARLINGTON — Post Middle School students recently helped make the holidays a bit less burdensome for local families in need with a five-day donation drive for the Arlington Community Food Bank that collected 1,350 pounds of food and raised $1,150, all of which went to the food bank. Post Middle School teacher Jody Bergeson’s sixth-grade class generated more items for the food bank than any other class, although fellow Post sixth-grade teacher Robin Foster emphasized that the school places less priority on competition between classes than it does on working together to help out those in need. The Post Leadership Class organized the food drive, sorting
the food and counting the money with the help of Post’s Chief Financial Officer, Megan Bryson, while Post ASB officers and other students helped unload the food and presented the food bank with an oversized check made out to the food bank. “The timing of the delivery was during the Thanksgiving meal that the food drive provides,” Foster said. “Post students were able to sit down and have a bite to eat with many community members.” “I’m not sure what I thought people who needed the food bank looked like, but it turned out that they looked just like us,” Post Leadership student Jacob Olson said.
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